The GSHOM Blog

February 2019

February 27, 2019

Girl Scout Week

The Girl Scout calendar is full of meaningful dates and occasions,
and Girl Scout Week is one. This tradition reminds us to stop and
celebrate some of our core Girl Scout beliefs. Beginning March 10,
2019, we're celebrating Girl Scouts!

Sunday, March 10 Girl Scout Sunday is a special day dedicated to thinking about
your beliefs and how they’re reflected in the Girl Scout Law. Think of
the things the two have in common and share your thoughts with others.
Find three bulletin inserts here,
here,
and here.
Need help printing? Order
form here.

Monday, March 11 Give a big shout-out to your Girl Scout sisters! Whether you
tag other Girl Scouts on social media or get creative and make a card
or gift for a Girl Scout in your life, don’t be bashful about sharing
the love. Tuesday, March 12 It’s Girl Scouts’ 107th birthday! Honor the Girl Scout Movement
by sharing on social media an issue you’re passionate about and what
you’re doing to make a difference. You’ve got this, Girl Scout!

Wednesday, March 13 Get out your green gear—it’s Girl Scout Spirit Day! Whether you
sport a Girl Scout tee under a blazer at the office or rock a trefoil
sweatshirt at the gym, let everyone know you’re a G.I.R.L. at
heart.

Thursday, March 14 Perform an act of kindness. Whether you pay for a stranger’s
cup of coffee or visit an elderly neighbor, every bit of positivity
Girl Scouts put out there helps make the world a better place. Friday, March 15 Kick off the weekend by giving back to your community. Could
the local park use a cleanup? Does the food bank need volunteers? As
always, the best person for the job is a Girl Scout!

Saturday, March 16 Besides reflecting on your beliefs and how they’re echoed in
the Girl Scout Law, we urge you to take some time this Girl Scout
Sabbath to learn something new about someone else’s faith.

So, are you with us? Ready to go green and shout your Girl
Scout love from the rooftops?, Let's go, Girl Scouts!

February 4, 2019

International Day of the Girl - Regional Committee Members Needed!

International Day of the Girl is a “100% youth-led movement fighting
for gender justice and youth rights” dedicated to “the inclusion of
girls’ voices in the movement for social justice, and grassroots
activism” (per the International Day of the Girl website).
Thanks to a generous grant from the Girl Scouts of the United States
of America (GSUSA), Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan will be
hosting events to celebrate International Day of the Girl (IDOG) in
each of our five regions – andwe need you!Forms
available here.

January 2019

January 23, 2019

Town Hall Recording

Thanks to everyone who was able to join us for the Town Hall Webinar
on Tuesday, January 22. CEO Jan Barker gave a comprehensive review of
the past year's benchmarks and called out highlights, as well as
taking questions from online attendees. If you missed the event live,
there's still and opportunity for you to be in-the-know on everything
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan. Recording
available here.

January 14, 2019

Cookie Pricing

Every Girl Scout Council sets their own cookie prices. It has been 5
years since Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan has increased the cost of a
package of cookies. During these years, the cost to GSHOM for both the
cookie product and rewards from the bakery have continued to rise.
These increases were absorbed by GSHOM and not passed on to our troops
and customers. Very few products cost the same today as they did five
years ago. When we last increased prices, our surrounding Girl Scout
Councils had raised their prices the year before we did. We have been
on the other side of this. We know it’s difficult, our girls are worth it.

GSHOM doesn't want Girl Scouts to lose sales, and supports girls in
several ways. The "Five for Five" contest to win five cases
of Girl Scout cookies is a great sales tool, and GSHOM also encourages
girls to market their goals. Digital cookie sales also improves numbers.

Unlike other councils, GSHOM offers a special opportunity to run
cookie booths as early as Super Bowl weekend. These are all
opportunities to get out in front. Finally, be sure to show off our
Girl Scout Camp guides. Our Girl Scout cookies support the best camps,
and customers want to support them too.

January 12, 2019

Cookie Varieties

Perhaps you’ve heard all of the excitement on national media about
Girl Scout cookies! Perhaps you also heard that they are talking about
a cookie we don’t sell in Heart of Michigan! That’s OK, we’ve got
cookies that people love, and they are supporting girls in our communities.

There are two cookie bakers in the US, and GSHOM uses Little Brownie
Bakers. LBB is a subsidiary of Kellogg, so our relationship to them is
extra strong. While both bakers bake most cookies, they vary a little.
Three flavors are specific to our supply.

Toffee-tastic, our gluten-free cookie, is celebrating 5 years
in 2019. The rich, buttery cookie with crunchy toffee bits are a
favorite for customers who need to avoid gluten.

Savannah
Smiles are a crisp, zesty, lemony favorite. Recent news is that this
is the LAST YEAR this variety will be available, so fans should
stock up.

S’mores, a graham sandwich cookie with chocolate
and marshmallow filling are the Little Brownie homage to the
favorite snack of girl Scouts everywhere.

If you have customers who ask about the flavor they’ve been hearing
about on TV, let them know we appreciate the interest, and here are
the great cookies we are selling this year: Thin Mints, Samoas,
Tagalongs, Dosido, Trefoils, Savannah Smile, Toffee-tastic and S’mores.

January 4, 2019

Making Friends

One of the best things about camp is making friends. It's the perfect
place to try new things and meet new people.

Our camp staffers are trained to help girls build lasting
friendships at camp.

When girls arrive, they will
participate in “Get to Know You games” to learn names and identify
girls with common interests.

Camp staff watch closely for
girls who may be having a hard time making friends and help them
connect with other campers.

Girls will have daily
opportunities for free time, still supervised by their counselors,
where they can engage with other girls in an unstructured
setting.

December 2018

December 28, 2018

More About Camp Themes

We're not getting rid of the extra fun a theme brings to camp, we're
making it bigger - camp wide!

What is a weekly theme?

Instead of doing a lot of specific themed sessions, the whole camp
will participate in the same weekly theme. This summer, our themes
include Circus, Once Upon a Time, Color Wars, Pirates, Secret Agent,
and Around the World.

How does it work?

The weekly theme will be present in many aspects of camp. From
meals, to campfires, to All-Camp Activities, to some activity choices.
For example, our opening campfire on the first night of Once Upon a
Time week may include counselors dressing up as Disney characters,
singing Disney songs, performing fairy tale themed skits. Our All-Camp
activity during circus week might include stations where girls could
learn to juggle, make a balloon animal, eat popcorn, and walk across a “tightrope.”

Color Wars

Each unit in camp will be assigned a color and engage in friendly
competition throughout the week. Examples are seeing who can keep
their unit the cleanest, who can pick up the most trash around camp,
who can sing the loudest at campfire and more!

Secret Agent

Campers will be assigned top secret missions throughout the week
like finding who hid all of the marshmallows, searching for counselors
during counselor hunt All Camp, and solving the mystery of the missing
kayaks. Some activity choices may include learning to take
fingerprints and how to make invisible ink messages and have your
friends crack the code.

Once Upon a Time

From Disney-themed campfires where camp staff dress up and sing all
the classic songs to a Mulan-inspired All Camp activity, Girls will
have a blast with camp’s twist on some classic fairy tales and
stories! Some themed activities that may be offered include learning
to write your own short fairy tale, building your own castle, or
having our older campers read bedtime stories to our younger campers.

Circus

Learn to make balloon animals, try your hand at juggling, and walk a
“tightrope” at our All Camp activity this week! We’ll also do super
fun things like listen to Greatest Showman music at meals!

Around the World

Girls will learn all about different cultures during this week at
camp! At our "Around the World in 80 Minutes" All Camp,
girls will take their passport around to different stations while
learning about different cultures by trying the food, learning the
songs and dances, and doing an art activity.

Pirates

This week, we’ll have a “Shipwreck Dinner” where girls will have to
wear an eye patch and eat spaghetti with a random utensil. We’ll also
hunt for hidden treasure at our All Camp. Beware, there will be
pirates lurking around trying to steal your gold!

December 27, 2018

What's New at Camp?

Did you notice something new when you looked at your camp guide?
Here's some background on "All Around Linden and Merrie Woode."

What is “All Around”?

Both Camp Linden and Merrie Woode are offering the perfect
opportunity for girls to try everything camp has to offer! Girls
will stay in a four-season lodge with other girls their age, each
girl getting to choose her own activities for the day. All girls
at camp will participate in the weekly theme.

What is “Girls’ Choice” scheduling?

Each night, girls will be presented with choices for the next
day’s activities and get to sign up for whichever interest them
the most. Girls can stick with their friends, or split up, it’s up
to them!

How is this different from previous years?

Previously, girls sat down with the other girls in their unit
and voted as a group on what they wanted their week’s schedule to
look like. Since things were decided by majority, some girls may
not have gotten to do what they really wanted. Now, girls will
feel empowered by getting to decide what they want their camp
experience to be.

From which activities will she be able to choose?

She will get to choose from all of the classic camp activities
like boating, archery, climbing wall, swimming, and hiking as well
as things like leatherworking, friendship bracelets, dance,
science activities, compass skills, and more!

This programming will let girls guide what has always been the bulk
of their camp experience - the daily activities.

December 13, 2018

Girl Scouting—It’s for Every Girl

In 2018, more girls participating in the community outreach program
were able to attend camp than ever before, thanks in part to the
support of the Saginaw Community Foundation. Besides favorite
activities like hiking, boating, horseback riding, tackling a climbing
wall, and spending time around a fire sharing stories, songs and
s’mores, many girls had their first experience of seeing a clear night
sky blanketed with stars and hearing the “music” of nature.

GSHOM’s Senior Outreach/Membership Specialist Lisa Ingram reports
that, thanks to their camp experiences, girls “show a real growth in
teamwork—it’s always one of my favorite events of our year! And the
girls are already asking about next summer!”

Ten years ago, a nation-wide realignment of Girl Scout councils led
to the formation of Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM). During
those 10 years, GSHOM’s commitment to make Girl Scouting available and
accessible to all girls in its footprint has meant that girls from the
most challenging of circumstances—from limited family financial
resources to housing and/or transportation insufficiency to being
placed in the role of caregiver for younger siblings—can be part of a
safe space where they can build self-esteem, positive values, and have
stress-free fun with new and old friends.

These experiences are part of GSHOM’s Girl Scouting through
community outreach program—a program that started with 113 girls, and
now engages over 900 girls a year. Using curricula developed by the
national Girl Scout organization and GSHOM, girls have completed art
and community service projects, explored STEM and STEM careers,
learned how to identify and combat bullying, and increased
goal-setting and money management skills by selling cookies.
Additionally, summertime brings a favorite activity—a camping trip.

Thanks to great supporters like the Saginaw Community Foundation,
we look forward to making sure all girls are able to enjoy the
benefits of Girl Scouting for years to come!

December 2018

December 12, 2018: December 2018 Newsletter

December 12, 2018

December Volunteer Newsletter

The December 2018 Volunteer Newsletter
includes important and exciting information about Summer Camps,
upcoming events, important dates, membership, and product program.
Download it here!

November 2018

November 9, 2018: Memorials and Vigils for Wisconsin Girl Scouts

November 9, 2018

A Note from GSHOM CEO Jan Barker

You may have heard that Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) filed a complaint
against Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Litigation is never
anyone’s first choice, and we wish it weren’t necessary to take this
step. Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan is a locally chartered council of
GSUSA, which is the national organization. Girl Scouts Heart of
Michigan has taken no local legal action against any other
organization. We will continue to direct our resources toward girls
and local priorities. All proceeds from product program stay
local.

We know that GSUSA remains open to a dialogue with
BSA to resolve this issue. I’m aware that many of us, staff and
volunteers, might be feeling conflicted by this development—but what
GSUSA is doing stems from an unwavering commitment to advocating for
our girls, their families and the communities we serve. Protecting our
mission and brand is crucial.

November 7, 2018: Memorials and Vigils for Wisconsin Girl Scouts

November 7, 2018

Memorials and Vigils for Wisconsin Girl Scouts

On November 3, 2018, Girl Scout Troop 3055 in Wisconsin
was participating in a public service project when a truck swerved,
crossed over a median and into grass, killing three girls and their
adult chaperone, leaving another in the hospital. Girls across Girl
Scouts Heart of Michigan are standing in sisterhood with this troop,
and many are holding vigils and/or performing public service in their
honor. Girl Scouts see problems in their community and try to make
them better, and even in times of grief they seek to make positive
impacts. Many of the events are listed on our Facebook page, but we'll
gather what we can, here. Please be sure to click on the location for event details.

October 24, 2018: Cookie Tip Off T-shirt Design Contest

October 24, 2018

NEW THIS YEAR: COOKIE TIP OFF T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST!Compete with other Girl Scouts for the BEST Tip Off t-shirt
design. Girl Scouts must submit their design by November 9, 2018. Top
5 will be selected and voting will take place prior to the event.
Contest rules are listed below!

COOKIE TIP OFF T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST RULES

Girl Scouts are invited to submit a t-shirt design for the Cookie
Tip Off. The winning entry will be the shirt available to all
troops/Girl Scouts to order.

October 22, 2018: Treats and Reads Announcement!

October 22, 2018

Treats and Reads Announcement!

Your Treats and Reads participation has been amazing! Let's keep it
going strong!

The Unify system is currently very slow, and we wanted to let you know:

Any online orders placed by midnight today (10/22/18) will
count toward rewards. These orders are time stamped and may not show
up in Rewards as "earned" right away. You can still submit
and the orders will update.

Troop Leaders now have until
tomorrow night (10/23/18) at midnight to log all paper orders, make
updates and submit the troop order.

Area Product Managers,
our All Star volunteers, have until 10/25/18 to help make any
necessary updates and submit orders for the area.

You and your customers will be able to place online orders for
shipping only or place orders through our Regional Center cupboards
through December 17th for additional troop proceeds. The fun and
learning doesn’t have to end here!

October 19, 2018: NEW Event Calendar

October 19, 2018

NEW Event Calendar!

We are excited to announce that the Event
Calendar on our website is live! Council events, trainings and
shop closings can be viewed on the Event Calendar, which is also color
coded by category.

When clicking on an event of your choice, a small bubble will pop up
with more details including date, time, and location. To view a full
description, click on the event's title (green hyperlink).

After clicking the event's title, you will be taken to a landing page
of the full description of the event as well as the choice to register
for the event. If you would like to register, click the "Register
Now" button.

Once you click "Register Now", you will be taken to a
separate event registration platform (Event Smart). Continue by adding
the number of registrations you'll need, click Add to Event Cart, then
Proceed to Registration and payment.

If you prefer to view events by list view, there is also an Event List
available. When clicking on an event, it will bring you to the event
landing page (as mentioned above). Tip: Once you are on the landing page, you can click on
"View event on calendar" under the event title, and it will
take you to the Event Calendar.Note: the search function on the Event List page is not yet working
properly. We are working with GSUSA's Web Team to ensure that we get
it working soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Looking for something? Searchability features in our main search bar
for trainings, events and programs are enhanced on this platform. If
you know exactly what you're searching for, go ahead and type it in.
If you're unsure or if you only know part of the training/event's
name, typing in partial names or "trainings in (name of
region/city)" or "girl events", "STEM
events", etc. should do the trick!

We hope this calendar provides you with some ease as you plan your
Girl Scout events this year!

October 12, 2018: Celebrate JGL's Birthday & Ceremonies

Ways to Celebrate Juliette Gordon Low’s Birthday

Every year, Girl Scouts around the world honor the memory of our
founder, Juliette Gordon Low, on her birthday, October 31st. Some
troops choose to celebrate the whole month, while others plan special
events on or near the actual day of her birth, which is also known as
Founder’s Day. (And also happens to be Halloween, how fun is
that?)

One of the amazing things about Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday is
that every troop has their own special way of celebrating this
amazing woman! Nowadays, not everyone throws a party—many Girl Scouts
use it as a day to give service to others and to participate in
community events. Here are some fun ways your troop can
celebrate Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday!

Host a Birthday Party Troop Supply Drive

Create a wish list of needed troop supplies – this can include
scissors, glue, paper or even a first aid supplies. Share the list
with troop families and ask every girl to bring one or more of the
items as a gift to the troop in honor Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday.
Gently used items are welcomed too!

Create a Special Troop Tradition

Design and create a troop t-shirt or hair accessory (cute
Daisy hair clips) which the girls can wear to troop meetings and
outings. Then, whenever someone asks the girls about their shirt or
hair clip, not only can they say they made it themselves, but they can
also share their Girl Scout story by telling them why they made them!

Make SWAPS of Juliette’s
Pearls to remind girls of the personal sacrifices she made to
ensure Girl Scouts continued to grow. Make plans to meet up with a
fellow Girl Scout friend, your troop, and maybe even your sister
troop, and enjoy some time together and present your SWAPS!

Stand on your head!

Did you know that one of Juliette’s special skills was standing
on her head? She stood on her head every year on her birthday to
prove she could still do it! She also celebrated her nieces’ and
nephews’ birthdays by standing on her head. Rumor has it that once she
even stood on her head in the boardroom of the National Headquarters
to show off the new Girl Scout shoes.

Create a pop-up Girl Scout museum

Collect vintage Girl Scout items from family and friends who were
former Girl Scouts. At the party, enjoy looking through old handbooks,
picking out favorite badges on the old sashes and trying on vintage
uniform pieces.

With the beginning of the membership year upon us, it's a great time
to hold an Investiture and/or Rededication ceremony!

An investiture is the welcoming of new members, both girls and
adults, into Girl Scouts for the first time. Girls receive their Girl
Scout, Girl Scout Brownie, or Girl Scout Daisy pin at this time.

Rededication is the opportunity for girls and adults to renew
their commitment to the Girl Scout Promise and Law. You can choose to
do them as one or two separate ceremonies.

These ceremonies are a great way to start the new Girl Scout year
with the focus being on the Promise and Law. Holding these ceremonies
are also a great way to help girls learn to plan and affirm their
belief in the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

There are many ways to hold an Investiture and/or Rededication
ceremony. Have the girls take time to search for some more creative
ways to celebrate – check out our Investiture/Rededication Ceremonies Pinterest
board. The more involvement the girls have, the better the
experience! That follows in all things in Girl Scouting!

On a large piece of white poster board, tape or glue a large daisy
center of yellow construction paper. Write your troop number in the
center. Make petals of white construction paper for each girl in the troop.

On each petal write a different girls name from your troop. Begin
the ceremony with a simple flag ceremony have girls bring up flag and
say the “Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag” followed by the singing of
a song about America any one the girls know.

Call each girl by name to come and add her petal to the flower. As
each girl comes forward to attach her petal to the center, welcome her
to Girl Scout Daisy Troop #____ with the Girl Scout handshake and her
Beginning Certificate. If a new girl joins at a later date, her petal
may be added.

Variation – use real daisies or silk daisies and have the girls
place them in a flower container with the troop number on it.